


The Colors I See

by AnotherShotofBourbon



Series: Soulmates [1]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Black and White AU, Canon Bisexual Character, F/F, seeing your soul mate makes you see in color, vague modern au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-07
Updated: 2015-03-11
Packaged: 2018-03-16 17:47:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 14,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3497270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnotherShotofBourbon/pseuds/AnotherShotofBourbon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Poor Korra. She's stuck seeing everything in black and white. She still hasn't seen her soul mate, and gotten to see everything in perfect color. Well, that was until she saw two people at once. Poor bisexual Korra. She has no idea which one it is supposed to be her soul mate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Black and White and Shades of Grey

**Author's Note:**

> Based off that one silly tumblr post that basically says: "AU where everything is black and white until you see your soul mate". Don't worry, I won't be doing the second half of it, "and then everything goes back to black and white when they die". So you can relax. But the inherent problems with this prompt intrigued me. What about a bisexual person who sees more than one person at a time? Is it all love at first sight for everyone or does it grow on people like a dawning realization? Will you wake up one day, realize this person is perfect and then see in color? Who knows? Certainly not Korra who is stuck in this exact situation. Enjoy?

“You’re honestly telling me that you don’t believe that you’re just going to look up one day, and BAM! color?” the round faced Bolin asked the woman lounging across most of the bar booth across from him.

“Nah,” Korra responded, still playing with her newly shortened hair. She had been contemplating getting it cut for a while now. “I don’t think love or even soul mates is just that simple.”

“Really?” Bolin asked. It was a familiar argument between the two of them.

“Not even one can be as lucky as you.”

“Or as good looking.”

“Or as good looking,” Korra added. Even though his eyes were just a lighter shade of grey than his already dark grey hair. She couldn’t tell but it looked similar color of grey as the bar sign outside. “It just you had it so easy.” She frowned. Bolin had found his soul mate in Opal while just walking around downtown Republic City. He’d spotted her from across the street and then proceeded to chase her down through a train and a half mile of straight running. Then he proceeded to get down on his knees and give this large impassioned speech to the woman he’d literally never met about how she was the prettiest girl in the world and he thinks he loves her and how he wants to take her out some time.

“I don’t call running three miles across traffic easy,” Bolin said.

“It wasn’t that hard,” Korra complained. “I wish it was that easy for me.”

She was barely twenty five, and her best friend had already found his soul mate. She was stuck in black and white and he was seeing everything in vivid detail and full color.

Korra slouched even lower in the booth seat.

“Oh come on, it’ll work out eventually,” Bolin said, as he tried to cheer her up. “I’ll get the next round.”

She just remained sitting at the booth idly scratching at the grey colored table, trying to make her name a slightly brighter color of grey than the table.

A few minutes later Bolin joined her again, putting down the drinks, he had a big grin on his face. “Guess who’s joining us!”

“Opal?” she sulked.

“Nope! My big bro Mako!”

“Mako? The Mako? Your mysterious older brother that some how I’ve never actually seen in the flesh?”

“The one and the same! You’ll like him! Oh man, Mako is the best.”

“What you’re not worried that I’ll see your brother and suddenly I’ll see everything in color?” Korra mocked.

“Oh man that’d be great! You’d be part of the family!” Bolin cried, getting all excited.

“Well fat chance of that happening,” Korra mumbled into her clear gin and tonic.

“Oh there he is! Mako! Hey! Maaaaako!” Bolin called and waved to his brother who just entered the bar.

Korra turned around and saw a tall, attractive brown eyed man with spiky dark hair, and a red scarf. He had his arm around a beautiful woman who was just as tall as him. She had long dark hair with vibrant green eyes.

That’s when it hit her. Korra was seeing in color. Full color.

“Oh…” Korra sighed. “Shit.”

Several huge, crushing realizations hit her all at once. There were too many of them. She was seeing in color. She was seeing in color! She had just seen her soul mate! There was such a thing as love at first sight. Mako was handsome. Mako had a girlfriend, who was just as pretty as he was, if not more so. Ok, definitely more so.

There were so many things going on at once that Korra couldn’t handle all of it. So she might have inadvertently, subconsciously, buried a few of those realizations.

She instead just tried to wrap her head around the fact that she had just spotted her soul mate near the door of the bar.

“Bolin, hey,” Mako said while getting a bone crushing hug that was the traditional Bolin greeting.

Korra stood up awkwardly. “Uh, hi, I’m Korra,” she said sticking out her hand.

“Hi, I’m Mako,” the man said, shaking her hand. “This is my girlfriend Asami.”

The women shook hands before Bolin could wrap up Asami into a huge bear hug.

“So tell me everything!” Bolin said. “How are you? How have you been? How did you two meet? Seeing any colors yet?”

“I’m going to get another drink,” Korra said, unable or perhaps unwilling to listen to the whole “my possible soul mate is dating someone else” speech. “Anyone want anything?”

Mako sat across from Bolin and asked for a beer.

“I’ll come with you,” Asami said.

“Ok,” Korra shrugged.

“So are you and Bolin...?” Asami asked.

Korra laughed. “No, he’s with Opal, full color and everything.”

“Lucky him,” Asami muttered.

Korra wasn’t really paying attention. The bar had so many wonderful colors she’d never noticed before. Bottles of different colors, liquors of various colors, hell just the different shades in the wood grain on the bar. She was enraptured.

“How long have you and Mako been dating?” Korra asked, suddenly aware of the silence.

“Not long, only a few days,” Asami admitted.

“It doesn’t sound like you’re terribly invested,” Korra pointed out.

Asami shrugged. “It’s just that… this whole soul mate color thing. I mean, I don’t believe in the whole love at first sight thing, but I thought I would have felt something… more. Sorry. I barely know you, and here I am complaining about my relationship.”

Korra smiled. “Don’t worry about it. It seems like we’re just at the age where this is everyone’s big concern. And I didn’t used to believe in the whole love at first sight thing either, but then all of a sudden it just happened.”

“Who’s the lucky man,” Asami asked before hastily adding, “or woman?”

“I don’t know, it was all very sudden. I don’t think they even know I exist,” Korra mumbled. The women were awkwardly avoiding eye contact.

“If it makes you feel any better, I don’t feel nearly as bad as I did before,” Asami offered a sad smile, finally looking up to the woman with the light grey (to her) eyes.

Korra laughed, just once, a small, bitter laugh.

“Come on, the boys will be missing us,” Asami said. She grabbed Korra’s hand and pulled her over to the booth.

And for a second, Korra’s stomach dropped out, but she ignored the feeling.

She sat down next to Bolin. For her position she could see handsome Mako and his pretty girlfriend. And despite playing it off as cool for Asami, Korra was still completely and utterly overwhelmed by the colors. So many different colors.

More than a few times she found herself staring at Mako’s brown eyes, so warm and inviting. And just as often found herself catching Asami’s green ones. They looked exactly how Korra felt on the first day of true spring after a long winter, that refreshing, warm burst of life after months of cold.

Korra didn’t say much the rest of the night. There were just so many things to see, to look at.

It wasn’t until Korra lay in her bed, looking up at the dark ceiling that she never realized was the same as the night sky outside her apartment, that she realized exactly how screwed she was.

She was seeing in color! For the first time in 25 years! It was even more incredible than her mind could ever possibly comprehend, and she was seeing them all. It was incredible! But there was just the problem of who caused it.

Mako was the first one to come to mind. He was tall, strong looking, incredibly attractive, with a voice that could melt glass. But he had a girlfriend. Asami.

Asami. If Mako was considered pretty then Asami was gorgeous. Korra didn’t know if she was jealous of her dating Mako, her possible soul mate, or of her looks or if she just want to be naked on top of her.

In the end it proved too much for poor Korra’s mind. So she blocked out anything but thoughts of pretty boy Mako.

“Oh, I’m fucked,” she said.

 


	2. The Color of Incompatibility

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poor Korra, she can finally see color so that means she's found her soul mate. Who she is convinced is pretty-boy Mako, who is in a relationship with someone else. But she finally gets some time alone with the potential love of her life and it doesn't really go as well as she'd hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the Mako/Korra chapter. If you are hoping that ship will sail, I'd abandon this fic right now if I were you. Spoiler alert: it isn't going to end well.

From then on, with some desperate prodding for Korra, Bolin invited Mako out with them more often. The only problem, at least as far as Korra was concerned, was that Asami had to come with them.

The first group hangouts that Korra had with Mako (and Bolin and Opal and Asami) were fine. Although her initial wonderment at the sheer amount of insane colors hadn’t really diminished much, she felt like she was able to conceal it a bit better.

What really helped was that her and Mako had a lot in common. They were both huge Fire Ferrets fans, and would loudly cheer for their team whenever possible. They were both hot-headed and passionate about their callings: his police work and her charity work.

The arguments that they’d get into sometimes were legendary. Every now and again Korra liked to have a good argument, and Mako was just as stubborn as her and made a great opponent. More than a few times their “friendly” “arguments” had to be broken up by third parties separating them.

But eventually, Korra got exactly what she wanted: time alone with Mako.

The gang was supposed to meet up at the bar, but she got a text from Bolin, “ _OMG so sorry! Cant make it tonight! :( Opal’s sick ;((_ “

“ _Aww muffin :( tell her to feel better_ ,” Korra responded.

She sighed and hung her head, briefly hitting her head on the warm brown of the wooden bar table.

She’d decided to finish her drink and head home. Bopal was basically the backbone of the friend group, without those two it would basically be her by herself.

A figure sat down heavily on the other side of the table.

“Hey Korra,” Mako said.

Instantly she brightened. “Hey Mako.”

For a second she forgot that Mako couldn’t see the red rising in her cheeks and she turned away from the attractive boy.

“It looks like it’ll just be us tonight,” Mako said as he checked his phone.

“Oh really?” Korra responded trying to not sound too excited. But his eyes were just so… dreamy. Like the feeling you get when you return to bed in the middle of winter and it is warm and inviting and just waiting for you.

“Yeah, Asami’s busy with work and couldn’t make it tonight,” Mako said.

“And Bopal’s out with illness, so it’s just us,” Korra smiled. “What do you want to do tonight?”

“Is drinking and venting about work out of the question?” Mako suggested.

“Sounds good to me.” She raised her hand to signal the waitress over. “I vote liquor and a huge heaping pile of cheesy ass nachos.”

“Its like you read my mind.”

The ordered the food and drinks and Korra looked up at Mako and said, “So whats on your mind grumpy pants?”

Mako sighed. “There’s just work, paperwork and being unable to do things that seem to really matter you know. It’s just frustrating sometimes, you know? Being the youngest guy on the force, not really being able to see in color because of some stupid cosmic rule. Oh if you only see in black and white it sucks to be you, but you can’t really help us process crime scenes without it.”

“So no… explosion of color with Asami?” Korra asked, trying to keep the hopefulness out of her voice.

“No,” Mako complained. “We’ve just been kind of coasting. Is it too early to think about settling though? How many people have I seen in my lifetime? Not one of them triggered this stupid color shift crap?”

“I’m sorry,” Korra said as she placed a reassuring hand on Mako’s calloused own. “My own personal opinion is that it is much too early to settle. Just because it seems to be taking much too long, doesn’t mean that it is going to impossible to find someone you connect with.”

He smiled up at her.

_Holy Raava above this boy was hot as hell._

They just looked at each other for a long moment.

“Sorry,” Mako said, shaking his head. “This is the first time we’ve hung out, just us.”

“Yeah it is.”

“What do you do? Bolin said you do charity work?”

“Yeah, I work for a non-profit. I basically do whatever needs to get done to help people. Some days I’m reading proposals, sometimes I’m writing grants. A few times I’m actually out on the streets helping people with certain charities we help run. That’s my favorite part. Once I even got to pretend to be an evil villain so a sick kid could dress up like a superhero and beat me up,” Korra said, looking out at the street with a little smile on her face.

“That sounds great.”

“Man, I love every minute of it. Even the parts that aren’t so great. I can’t imagine doing anything else.”

“That’s amazing that you’re doing something that you love.”

Korra smiled. “It’s a great feeling.”

They made some more small talk as they devoured their nachos and ordered another round of drinks. Korra was feeling great, incredible even.

“I have a question for you,” she started. “Well, I mean it is less of a question and more of I need some advice.”

“I mean I’ll try to help, but I’m not really good at this kind of thing. Giving advice,” he said, almost sheepishly.

“So I really like this guy… at work,” Korra added hurriedly, hoping she covered her tracks. “But I don’t think he knows that I like him, or even knows that I exist. What do you think I should do?”

“I don’t know,” Mako shrugged. “What do you think?”

“I mean I’m asking you. What would you do?”

“It depends. I mean, do what you think is best,” he said unhelpfully.

“Ugh!” Korra cried.

“Sorry!” Mako responded.

Korra was beginning to suspect that Mako wasn’t the one to make her world so colorful, but there was no one else it could possibly be. There was that sneaking suspicion that he wasn’t as emotionally… there as Korra would have liked. He didn’t seem to have an opinion on her romantic entanglements one way or another. And then there was that feeling that their arguments were never really more than friendly, in that you're friends that occasionally try to punch each other. That doesn’t really translate well to soul mates. Does it?

But she had to know, one way or the other.

“Oh fuck it,” she muttered and reached across the table, grabbed Mako by the collar and kissed him.

It was warm and it was nice and that was it. Just nice. Not amazing, not heart racing, not anything special. It was just that. A kiss.

No fireworks. No color.

“I’m sorry,” Korra said. “That was uncalled for, and you’re dating Asami, and now I just made everything weird, and I didn’t mean it, and I’m sorry. I’m…” She reached into her pants pulled out some cash to pay for the bill and placed it on the table. “I’m just gonna go now.”

Korra ran out of the bar without another word to the befuddled boy left to see the world all in black and white.

“God damn it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> +5 Awesome person points if anyone here gets the "aww muffin" reference.


	3. Confused and Lost and this Date Isn't Helping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Korra is even more confused than she was before. None of this is making any sense to her. Luckily she has someone a bit old and a bit wiser to offer her some much needed advice and perspective. All before she has to start dealing with the consequences of last night.

The next day, Korra didn’t feel much better. She could see everything in color, but it didn’t have any meaning for her anymore. The neons, the lights, the darks, the mismatched colors people wore on the streets because they didn’t know any better. None of it held any meaning for her anymore.

When she first saw Mako and her world went from bland to exciting. But there was nothing there. They were friends, but that didn’t amount to much in terms of soul mates. Were they even soul mates? Ah, it was all just so confusing.

Instead of moping around her apartment all day thinking about Mako and how he wasn’t quite the color she needed, Korra decided to go into work.

As usual, Tenzin, her supervisor and occasional mentor, was there.

“Korra,” he said with his usual enthusiasm. “Why are you here? It’s Saturday.”

“I could say the same thing to you,” she responded. “It’s just that I finally met someone.”

“Good for you Korra!”

“No, not good for me,” she said. “I mean I saw him and got the whole explosion of color and everything but he’s dating someone else and I really like him and then we finally got to spend some time alone and I kissed him even though he’s dating someone else and I didn’t feel anything, I didn’t experience anything besides it just being a kiss. And I’m babbling.”

“Oh Korra,” Tenzin said, bringing her into an awkward but reassuring hug. “It’s ok.”

“Is it? is it possible for one person’s soul mate to not be the others?”

“I guess, but I think you’re getting a bit ahead of yourself,” he gently informed her. “Is it possible that he is your soul mate, but he isn’t yours? Yes. But there are other possibilities.”

“Like what? And are they as cheerful as that prospect?”

“Was he the only person you saw? Were there no other people in your field of vision?”

“No there was someone else…” Korra muttered. “I mean there were a couple other people.”

“Maybe it was one of them,” Tenzin suggested. “Or perhaps he hasn’t become the person who has you as his soul mate yet. People change, and maybe he has some changing to do before you become his soul mate. Or maybe he needs to realize you’re his soul mate. Sometimes these things take time.”

“Did it take time with you and Pema?” Korra asked resentfully.

Tenzin chuckled, “Have a seat.”

The pair sat down in his office.

“Actually when I first saw color with Pema, I was dating someone else,” Tenzin admitted.

“Holy shit,” Korra swore, unable to believe Tenzin was a ladies’ man at any point in his life; even now she still felt it hard to believe that this man had four kids. _4_. “Sorry. I mean, holy crap.”

“Yes. I was dating someone else, and it was fine, we were both kind of floating through the relationship. But that’s when Pema came up to me and declared her love for me. It took me completely by surprise. Then all of a sudden I saw this beautiful woman before me in full color.”

“Was that the first time you met Pema?” Korra asked.

“Not at all,” Tenzin responded. “We’d worked together many times before that, I even considered us friend. But for whatever reason it didn’t register with me. It took a sudden change to shake me out of my revere, something to show me that it was a possibility. I didn’t realize it was something that could have been until Pema told me.”

“That didn’t really happen in my case,” Korra said. “He didn’t react he just kind of phtttbpt.” She made an unflattering fart noise.

“Korra, you’re a wonderful girl, but you tend to wear your heart on your sleeve. I’m not surprised to find out that you had love at first sight. Despite all of your claims to the contrary. There are other people out there that don’t fall so hard so quickly. Maybe he is the one, but at the same time maybe he’s not. Give it time. Some people see some and see love and color, other people have to feel love and color to see it. Does that make sense?"

"Are you saying that I'm lucky, or unlucky enough, to have love at first sight? But some other people don't necessarily see it the same way? That it could take days or years for them to see it?"

"Yes. Exactly, but you’re young, you have lots of time to figure it out, or, as your case may be, have someone else figure it out. You’re only twenty five.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

“Korra, you’re a wonderful girl. You’re strong and kind and selfless. You’ll find your soulmate. Trust me. And even if you don't, you'll continue to be the wonderful girl I met all those years ago who's only wish was to help other people.”

“I guess," Korra said, letting the words of wisdom settle over her.

Before the conversation could continue, Korra’s phone rang.

The caller ID read, “Asami :D”. Korra didn’t remember putting the smiley face. She must have been drunk.

“I should probably take this,” she muttered.

Tenzin patted her hand reassuringly. “It’ll work out, I promise.”

“Hello,” Korra said as she picked up the phone.

“Korra, it’s Asami,” the confident woman said, suddenly sounding not so confident. Korra, just as suddenly, felt filled with concern. Sure she was jealous of Asami, but they’d been friendly towards each other this whole time.

“Hey, what’s up?”

“Uh… I don’t know how to say this…” Asami said, struggling to find the right words.

“Everything alright?”

“Yes! I mean no. Sort of? Ah…”

“What’s going on?”

“Oh screw it,” Asami breathed. “Mako just broke up with me. And I really need to… I don’t know… vent… go out… Just have a night to myself without boys and… well… you’re the only girl that I’m friends with and I was hoping… shit…”

“You sound like you can use some unhealthy food and possibly some liquor,” Korra said.

“Oh my yes,” Asami responded.

“So what do you say to Kwong’s? Hitting up some bars afterwards and maybe going back to my place for some bad movies?” Korra suggested.

“Korra, you are a life saver.”

“Ok, I’ll met you at Kwong’s in two hours.”

“See you there.”

Korra hung up and Tenzin smiled. “You look happier already.”

She turned to him and said, “You know I realized something.”

“What?”

“You were absolutely right. Soul mates are great and all, but I don’t need one,” Korra said. “I’m awesome, I’ve got a sweet ass job that I love, and some awesome friends. What more do I really need?”

Tenzin smiled and nodded. “Exacty.”

“Well, I should go.”

“Not a problem,” he said. “I’ll see you on Monday.”

Korra smiled, feeling better. “Yeah. I’ll see you then.”

Two hours later, she found herself waiting for Asami at Kwong’s, in fancier clothing that she normally wore. The conscious part of her brain told herself that it was solely because Kwong’s was a nice restaurant and for no other possible reason what-so-ever.

“Hey Korra,” called Asami who had appeared in the doorway.

Not for the first time, Korra wondered how Asami managed to look so good, despite not being able to color-coordinate. Since that fateful day, she’s noticed that lots of people tended to wear clothing that didn’t really go all that well together, since they couldn’t tell what colors clashed with what. It was one of the few upsides to being a soul mate-less color seeing person, silently judging hapless people’s clothing choices. Maybe Asami had someone who could see color picking out outfits for her.

“Hey Asami, you’re looking snazzy as always,” Korra said.

In the short time they’ve been friends, well acquaintances, Korra lost her unintended hatred for Asami. She didn’t blame Mako for dating her. She was perfect. Tall, pretty, smart as a whip, independant as hell, and kind of a joy to be around.

She smiled sadly at Korra.

“Don’t look like that,” Korra said as she put one arm around Asami’s shoulders. “This is going to be a ladies’ night out! Food, fun, booze!”

Asami offered another sad smile. “If you insist.”

“Well I hope I’m not going to be pigging out on expensive food by myself!”

That got Korra a small chuckle out of Asami who gave her that adorable little half grin that was equal parts laughing at her own joke and smiling because she got Asami to smile.

The pair was seated and they looked over the menu.

“Do… you want to talk about it?” Korra asked, keenly aware that she was probably the reason behind the break-up. At least partially if not totally. “Or would you rather just stuff our faces?”

“It’s just…” Asami started. “I thought that I would have been happy by now. In a full-colored relationship by now. I’m almost twenty seven!”

“Whoa! Slow down old lady, you’re gonna break a hip!” Korra joked, but Asami didn’t rise to the bait. “I had a talk with an older friend of mine before you called me. And he actually gave me a lot to think about. The short of what Tenzin told me was that we’re young! We’ve got a lot of time ahead of us to worry about that. And the other thing he told me was that it doesn’t necessarily have to be a first-sight kind of thing. Sometimes it grows or it comes when you realize something about yourself or someone else. Maybe you’re not who you need to be to have your soul mate, or maybe your soul mate isn’t who they need to be to be worthy of you.”

“I guess that kind of makes sense.”

“Besides, this whole color thing isn’t as awesome as it sounds,” Korra said.

“Oh, that’s right, I forgot you could see.”

“Yeah,” Korra shrugged. “The thing was I kind of told the guy who I think brought it on and I laid myself bare.”

“And?”

“He didn’t feel the same. There was just kind of, ‘bleh’ where that fire should have been,” Korra admitted. “So I guess I’m in the same boat as you.”

“Glad to know I’m not alone.”

“Well, here’s to us: two badass attractive ladies who don’t need no man or woman. Because we’re awesome enough on our own for two people.”

Asami gave Korra the first genuinely warm smile she’d seen in a while. They raised their glasses and toasted to themselves.

“Now, I propose a ban on all ‘I’m so alone’ talk or any moping,” Korra said.

“What happens if we slip up?” Asami asked.

Korra smiled and raised her eyebrows, “That person has to do a shot.”

“I don’t really think Kwong’s is a shot kind of place.”

“We’ll just have to keep a tally until we get to the bar later.”

“Ok, sounds like a deal.”

The rest of dinner went smoothly. The pair talked easily and fast about a number of subjects, politics, work, bets on when Bopal would tie the knot, and Asami’s secret love: cars.

They finished up desert and the check was brought.

Korra was faster and managed to snap up the check before Asami could grab it.

“I think I should buy since you just got dumped.”

“But you’re the one with the harsh unrequited love.”

“Yeah, well this whole thing was my idea so its my treat,” Korra said firmly putting down money for the bill plus a generous tip.

“Thank you,” Asami blushed. Korra wondered if she was aware of the subtle reddening of her pale porcelain cheeks.

Just as they were about to leave the restaurant Asami said she wanted to have someone collect her car. She knew she’d be drunk and didn’t want to drive any further so she called one of her assistants to collect her personally restored car.

Korra said, “You know, I never would have pegged you as a gearhead.”

“I just love working with my hands. I love mechanics and systems and being able to take things apart and then put them together. They make sense. Things do what they’re supposed to and only what they’re supposed to. Unlike people,” Asami muttered almost angrily. “If you’d ever like to I can show you my little collection of cars I’ve built.”

“How many is a little?” Korra asked.

“Four,” Asami whispered, but Korra heard her anyways.

“Damn!” Korra cried. “And I paid for your dinner! Man am I an idiot!”

“It’s ok, I’ll buy the drinks.”

“You realize that means six drinks, right?”

“How do you figure?” the heiress said as she put her arm through Korra’s.

“Well we have to do just one regular sipping and talking drink. Plus two shots each for times where we got all mopey and sad during dinner.”

“Oh... you’re right.”

They entered the bar and Asami bought the necessary number of drinks. The shots were clear, which Korra had learned was not necessarily a good thing. The liquor burned as the pair took seats in their favorite booth.

They stayed at the bar for a couple of hours. Neither one did another shot, as the conversation didn’t once turn towards loneliness or lost loves. Which was nice, but also, as Korra’s increasingly not-sober mind was willing to atest, so much harder to think of anyone outside of Asami.

The drunker Korra got the more attention she paid to Asami’s physicality. She was tall, with envy inducing legs that Korra wanted around her… _no, wanted_. Whatever. She also noticed how Asami, even while slightly staggeringly drunk would flow almost like she was water, smooth and elegant and perfect. And yet, paradoxically, her ass looked like it was sculpted marble.

She also noticed how easily she could get Asami to laugh at one of her stupid, stupid jokes. And the drunker Korra got, the dumber her jokes got, and Asami laughed at every single one. Korra noticed how Asami’s laugh was always so controlled, quiet and almost demure. Unless she was caught off guard then it was a loud, short laugh with the occasional snort that would just send Korra over the edge in a fit of giggles every time she heard it.

Eventually, they decided it was time to retire. Korra stood up out of the booth and grabbed Asami’s hand to take her out of the bar.

They continued to hold hands, each of them telling themselves it wasn’t because they liked the way it felt, but because they needed the support while staggering the four and a half blocks to Korra’s apartment.

“Ok,” Korra said once they got into her apartment and Asami flopped on the couch. “I promised you bad movies, and we are going to watch the crown jewel of bad movies.”

“Oh my god, you have Iknik Varrick’s The Genius, as written by, directed by, and starring Iknik Varrick, featuring Iknik Varrick?” Asami asked with wide, excited green eyes.

“Say that one more time,” Korra said with that little half smile again.

“You heard me,” Asami said throwing the pillow at Korra.

“No, we are going to watch The Story of Nuktuk,” Korra said.

“I think I saw that once, it was kind of ok.”

“You haven’t seen this interpretation of the story before. But first you have to put your hand over your heart and swear you won’t tell Bolin I showed this to you. He doesn’t know I have a copy.”

Asami smiled and put her right hand on Korra’s chest, right over her heart, and touching her boob.

Korra swallowed dryly. “ _Your_ heart,” she whispered.

Asami winked and said, “Why? Your heart is clearly better than mine. As are your tits. They’re so much bigger and nicer than mine.”

“Uh… Your’s are pretty great...” Korra mumbled without complete control over her mouth.

She finally moved her hand. “I promise.”

“This is one of Bolin’s student films he starred it. It is… awful isn’t a strong enough word. You just need to see it.”

Sure enough it was a miracle of bad cinema. Asami was giggle-snorting for the entirety of the hour and a half run time, which forced Korra into almost a constant state of grinning like an idiot.

Once the credits rolled, and Asami had enough time to wipe the tears from her eyes and get her breath back she said, “I will admit that was bad, hilariously bad. But you can’t really give a student film the same credit as a theatrical, studio release.”

“Oh this got a theatrical release. It was like a thousand screens across the country,” Korra pointed out.

“That’s a… a… amazing,” Asami said, a yawn interrupting her mid sentence. “Can I stay here for the night?”

“You don’t even need to ask, of course you can.”

“Thank you, and goodbye pants,” Asami muttered as she quickly stripped off her pants, revealing perfect, pure, long legs to Korra who found herself staring. “Goodbye shirt.”

“Holy fuck,” Korra whispered.

Asami was fucking hot. Like stop Korra’s heart hot. Her expensive, lacy underwear matched. Both were dark, seductress red, and they were oh so enhancing of Asami’s natural… assets. Korra could decide if she wanted to touch or to have (or both) Asami’s days long legs, or her perfect boobs and surprisingly generous cleavage.

She laid back down on the couch and immediately snuggled up to Korra.

“Thanks for today,” she muttered with eyes closed. “It was the best date I’ve ever been on.”

“This was a date?”

“Maybe.”

Korra put an arm around Asami and pulled the blanket down across them. Before she even realized it, both of them were asleep.

When she woke up several hours later she realized several things: one, her arm was asleep because Asami was currently using it as a pillow; two, at some point, she also lost her pants but she doesn’t remember taking them off; three, one of Asami’s hands is currently resting on her hip so very very close to… dangerous areas; four, Asami was one of the two people that she saw when color happened to invade her world; five, she became painfully aware of how much she was attracted to Asami.

Korra’s tired, hungover brain knew that this last thought was going to lead to more mildly unpleasant thoughts and even more revelations. Since it was too damn early for all of that nonsense, Korra just snuggled up closer to Asami and fell back asleep.

She awoke again several hours or minutes later, she couldn’t tell. But Asami was gone.

In a brief, not entirely unexplained panic, Korra leapt up and looked around. Asami’s shirt was still here, and the bathroom door was closed.

With a sigh of relief Korra slumped back on to the couch, not willing to move very far. But then she realized she was thirsty and hungry, and if there was one thing that could complete girls’ night out it was breakfast.

She made her way, slowly, to the kitchen, and literally ran into Asami who was exiting the bathroom at that moment.

“Oh sorry!” Korra said instantly, keenly aware that Asami was still shirtless and that she was still bottomless.

“Morning,” Asami grunted, who was looking down Korra noticed, and down was where her currently pantless legs were. “Sorry about falling asleep on you.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Korra shrugged it off. Then she hastily added before the pale goddess could think about leaving, “Hey, you want to stay for breakfast?”

Asami nodded dumbly, her eyes had dark circles under them, a clear sign of too much liquor the night before.

“Feeling a little hungover?”

She nodded.

“Don’t worry I have the perfect cure,” Korra smiled. “Join me in the kitchen when you feel up to it.”

Korra was feeling excited, and also a little hung over. But despite all of that, plus genuinely hating morning or anything before noon, she was feeling awake, energized, and ready to do someone… something! SomeTHING.

Ten minutes later Asami found herself in the kitchen, where the still pantless Korra handed her a glass.

“What is this?”

“Not very tasty, but it will help with the hangover,” Korra said. “I call it hair of the dog.”

Asami sniffed it. It smelled of fruit and whiskey and something else.

“It smells gross and tastes gross, but trust me, it’ll help,” Korra told her as she raised her own glass in a toast to Asami.

Korra downed the glass in one gulp and then coughed. She then immediately poured herself a cup of coffee to wash the flavor away.

Asami shrugged and followed suit. It tasted awful, and she almost choked on it.

“God, what is that?” she asked as Korra poured her a cup of coffee.

“A shot of whiskey, some fruit juice, a little bit of salt, Worcestershire sauce, and some water.”

“That’s foul.”

“Yeah,” Korra shrugged. “I hope you don’t mind. I usually make breakfast without pants.”

Asami blushed, unaware that Korra could see the red in her cheeks. “I don’t mind. What are you making?”

“Pancakes!” Korra called out excitedly.

Asami smiled and sat at the small kitchen table, content to nurse her coffee and watch the pantless Korra making breakfast, specifically watch her ass dance about.

“You know what, that drink really did help,” Asami said after a few minutes.

Korra smiled and winked at her. “Breakfast is served.”

“Thank you so much Korra,” Asami said after breakfast as she packed up to leave. “Yesterday was wonderful. I had a great time.”

“Me too,” Korra admitted. “We should do this again sometime.”

“Definitely.”

“I’ll see you around.”

“Bye.”

Korra closed the door to apartment and hit her head against the wooden frame. “Damn it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, hopefully that answered questions people were having about why people didn't instantly see color when they first see their soul mate. If it didn't, please let me know and I shall attempt to fix it in another chapter.  
> Also the trend of ending chapters with Korra swearing continues!  
> (FYI Varrick's The Genius is essentially The Room, but staring Iknik Blackstone Varrick which is either better and/or worse than the original.)


	4. Colors of Her Lips, Her Eyes, Her Hair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Korra is playing the role of supportive friend to the depressed, mildly heartbroken Asami. Just when she starts to think she has things figured out when it comes to her feelings towards Asami, things get more confusing.

The next weekend was awkward. With Mako and Asami broken up, neither party was ready to hang out together. Even though Korra wanted the whole group together again, she promised Asami that they could just have another girls’ nights.

“Sorry,” Asami said into her take out food while sitting in Korra’s apartment, “I know this is putting you in an awkward position.”

“What is?” Korra asked. She’d briefly zoned out trying to find the right comparison for Asami’s hair color. She was thinking it looked exactly how luxurious silk felt.

“Mako and my break up,” Asami mumbled. “I know you’re friends with Bolin and Mako, and I hope you’re my friend too and I don’t want you to pick sides.”

“I won’t pick sides,” Korra said putting a reassuring hand on Asami’s. “You’re both my friends.” _You’re the reason I see everything in full HD color, I think._ But Korra kept that thought to herself. “Do you want to talk about it at all?”

“Not really,” Asami muttered despite continuing to talk about it. “We’d be drifting for a time. Well, Mako was drifting. It always felt like I was doing most of the giving in the relationship. Then all of a sudden he tells me that he might have feelings for someone else... and then we break up. But then I talk to you and you tell me that we’re too young to settle and I think you’re right. So it was kind of amicable, but at the same time…”

“No break-up is really pain free,” Korra replied while desperately trying to remain calm.

Fuck. She’d just managed to convince herself that her color-inducing light of her world soul mate wasn’t Mako, and that it was probably Asami. Then this had to happen. Was it actually Mako? Was he not the one for her because he was with Asami? Did her kiss, her confession, change him into who he needed to be to see her as she was? Or is all of this wild speculation and it really is Asami? Poor, slightly heartbroken Asami who doesn’t need a soul mate at this point in time, she just needs a friend. Not a lover.

The Korra that existed in her brain was screaming and throwing things and banging her head against the wall.

“Yeah, you’re right,” Asami offered a sad smile. “You always seem to know what is going on in my head, Korra.”

“Uh…” she was lost for words.

Thankfully she was saved at the last second by her cell ringing.

The caller ID said “Opal”.

_Thank the spirits above_ , Korra prayed.

“It’s Opal. Do you mind if I take this?” Korra asked.

Asami nodded. “Just don’t be surprised if you come back to find all of your shrimp gone.”

Korra laughed and picked up the phone, immediately walking towards the kitchen, trying to get out of hearing range.

“Korra what did you do?” Opal demanded without a hello.

“Ok, ok don’t be mad at me please,” Korra begged. “When I first saw Mako and Asami it hit me.”

“What hit you?” Opal angrily asked.

“You know…” Korra whispered, hoping that Asami couldn’t hear her.

“You _see_?”

“Oh I see alright.”

“Oh,” Opal said with her anger instantly deflating. Then a spark of the anger returned, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“How would that conversation have gone with you and Bolin?” Korra angrily snapped back. “Sorry, I saw your brother who is in a relationship with another woman and I think he might be my soulmate. You both would have been happy and excited and told me to make some impassioned speech confessing my instant, undying love to Mako, break him up with a very nice, reasonable, attractive girl, because I think I love him. Talk about a dick move.”

“But isn’t that what you did?”

Korra sighed heavily. “Yes I kissed Mako and which might have made him break up with Asami.”

“And?”

“And nothing. He didn’t feel the same way, or I thought he didn’t feel the same way. I didn’t feel much of anything after I kissed him. Then Asami calls me all heartbroken because Mako broke up with her and now we’ve been hanging out a lot and I think she’s super pretty and super smart and I like her a lot. And just as I was thinking that maybe Asami was the light of my world and all that romcom jazz, she tells me that Mako might have feelings for me, and now I’m all conflicted and rambling and I have no idea what to do because neither of them look at me like I look at them and fuuuuuuck me,” Korra rattled off as she paced awkwardly in the kitchen.

“Wow,” Opal breathed. “You’re in one hell of a pickle.”

“I know. Help me.”

“How do you feel about each one?”

Korra shrugged. “Conflicted.”

“Not helpful.”

“You’re not helpful!”

“Korra, come on. Gut reaction, right now, no thinking: chances Mako’s your soul mate?”

“36%.”

“Chances Asami’s your soul mate?”

“64%.”

“That’s something,” Opal muttered. “Now, what did it feel like when you kissed Mako?”

“I don’t know, like a kiss. Why?”

“When I first kissed Bolin it was like the best thing in the world. I felt warm from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet. I felt like I was going to burst.”

“Yeah, didn’t have any of that.”

“What about Asami?”

“I haven’t kissed her. We’ve just been hanging out as friends.”

“Does she know you like her?”

“Fuck no. And she won’t find out from you,” Korra suddenly threatened. “No telling Bolin either. I need to figure this one out on my own.”

“I promise,” Opal said half-heartedly.

“If you tell Bolin I swear to god, I’ll tell him that you were dating Tahno when you met.”

Opal gasped in shock and hurt. “You wouldn’t.”

“I would. You tell _no one_.”

“Fine,” she said with more conviction and more anger.

“Sorry Opal, I just… I can’t do this if I knew that everyone was watching, waiting for me to do something. I’ve already got a lot of pressure coming from me on this one, it would just be easier without Bolin’s puppy-dog judging face.”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. Good luck.” Opal hung up without another word.

Korra looked at her phone and smacked herself in the head before returning to the living room where Asami waited.

“Hey Korra,” Asami asked looking up at her.

“Yeah?”

“What colors do you see when you look at me?”

Korra swallowed hard. There’s no way it could have ever been Mako, and some part of her knew that. When she was in the room with Asami it was just so much easier to say that it was all because of her.

“Why?”

“I don’t know... I’m just curious.”

“Uh, well,” Korra said as she sat on the floor next to Asami. “Your eyes are gorgeous. They’re the same color as spring. Like that first true day of spring where it is warm and cool at the same time, just nice outside. And the grass is alive and growing and all the snow is gone and you step outside and you just know that this is it, spring is here and everything is alive and you’re finally free of that cold, dark, dank winter. I see life and freedom and warmth in your eyes.”

Asami blushed and leaned a bit closer to Korra, “What else?”

“Your hair looks like how sexy silk feels. That kind of dark, smooth, arousing feeling that you get when you put on a pair of sexy silk panties.”

Asami laughed. But then whispered, "Go on." They were almost touching now. Almost kissing. Korra's heart was going to implode.

“Your skin is like the smooth pages of your favorite book from a few years ago. That smooth, slightly worn, but loved feeling of the page in between your fingers,” Korra whispered as Asami leaned in even closer. “You’re lips… they look like… _fuck me_ … they look like seduction. They look like that feeling of knowing the person you really really like is looking back at you with that look you’ve always wanted. They look like that feeling of heat rushing to your face right before someone kisses y-”

Those perfect red lips met her own. And for a second Korra felt like her insides had been replaced with fireworks.

“They look like how that felt for me,” Korra whispered as Asami backed away a few seconds later.

Asami smiled. “I think I know how you feel.”

“Ok good,” Korra said. “Wait, no not good.”

The other woman backed away. “Not good? Not good? Why?”

“Ah god damn it,” Korra swore. “Look Asami… Fuck… I should tell you something.”

“No, I get it, you’re not interested in me. Your soul mate is someone else. I’m… I’m just going to go.”

“Yes. Wait. No. I mean… fuck… Where was I?” Korra couldn’t put together a sentence. Her legs and her mind were jelly and she knew she should tell her everything. But before she could figure out a way of putting the thoughts in her mind into words on her tongue, Asami was gone.

“Ugh!” Korra yelled. “Fuck me!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you think it was going to be that easy? NOPE! *maniacal laughter*  
> Anywho, I added a brand new chapter to come after this one that will hopefully put to rest the colors/soul mates questions, next time. It'll probably take me a while to edit it/get it to where I want it. So don't expect another speedy update until Monday. :/ Sorry.


	5. She Wishes She Was Someone Better

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A brief interlude starring Asami Sato, the emotionally wrecked, devastatingly color blind girl. First Mako broke up with her, now Korra's not her soul mate. Can it get any worse? Probably.

Asami practically sprinted out of Korra’s apartment. She hailed a cab and thought nothing, absolutely nothing, until she was behind the securely locked door of her apartment.

Then she let the tidal wave of emotions hit her.

She knew that she was being stupid, crying over nothing.

But that wasn’t how it felt.

She liked Korra, a lot. But she didn’t love her. How can she love someone she barely even knows? That isn’t even remotely how love works, at least not for her. But still… some small part of her hoped that maybe she could force it.

Asami kissed Korra, hoping to force this stupid color sight thing. But she still didn’t _see_ a goddamn thing.

And what burned her the most was that knowledge. That even though she liked Korra, liked her a lot, yet she wasn’t the one.

Korra was just as attractive as Mako, if not more so. She was funny, she was selfless, they had so much fun together.

She’d just spent the last two hours with her trying to force her to be her soul mate.

And nothing worked.

And she crawled into her bed and wept.

Asami’s rational side, the side that she used so often but sometimes wouldn’t shut up, told her that love isn’t a fairy tale magic moment. It didn’t just show up uninvited. Love like that was a flower, it grows and it grows and then it blooms, it is by no means instantaneous.

She also told herself how her parents didn’t see colors from each other until their fifth date. She told herself that “love” that comes at first sight isn’t love, it’s just attraction.

Asami didn’t believe in it, despite how much she wanted to.

She just wasn’t built to love or trust that easily, that quickly.

It’s just… that with Korra she wanted to be able to so badly.

She liked the way Korra looked at her. She liked that little goofy smile Korra had on all the time. She liked Korra’s little giggle she had when she laughed at her own jokes. Asami liked Korra, liked her a lot.

It just hurt so much to not be in love with her.

What hurt more was that Asami knew that she wasn’t Korra’s soul mate. She knew that she wasn’t the object of Korra’s affections. Korra was so clearly meant to be with Mako. That’s who she was talking about. It was so obvious, especially since Korra is not a gifted liar.

Asami knew that this whole thing wouldn’t be nearly as painful if she was Korra’s soul mate, even if Asami didn’t see Korra that way. It would be bitter, to be loved by her, but unable to fully commit. And Asami hated herself for thinking that would be enough. It was selfish and it was unfair to the beautiful, wonderful Korra. But oh god how she wanted it.

Yet she couldn’t help thinking that this is what she tried to do with Mako too, and look at how well that turned out. She tried to force it, and he broke up with her by saying that he couldn’t tell if he had feelings for someone else if they were dating. It was a nice sentiment, and Asami agreed. They didn’t see things with each other, so wouldn’t it be better to stop wasting everyone’s time?

He might not have a said it, but she _knew_ he was talking about Korra.

Once again, Asami was left in the cold, all alone. It was things like this, she knew, that made her nervous about giving herself fully into relationships. How could she commit fully when she knew that she wasn’t the one? She couldn’t hurt Korra like that. She’d never string Korra along like that.

Asami resolved to hurt herself now to avoid hurting Korra later. It would be exceedingly difficult with her phone ringing every dozen minutes or so. Korra had already texted her fourteen times, and called her three times.

As if she was some kind of masochist, Asami read every single text, and listened to every single voicemail.

“Asami?” camed that voice that made her start crying all over again. “Will you please just talk to me for five minutes? Fuck.”

She hung up the phone, and turned it off. The constant ringing was physically painful. She just put a pillow over her head and wrapped herself into a tight, blanket covered ball and cried.

She fell asleep, crying bitter tears, wishing she was someone better, someone who could love and trust as easily as Korra did. She fell asleep wishing so hard she could be the person worthy of being Korra’s soul mate.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter didn't exist until late Saturday night. So if it is chock full of spelling/grammar errors it is all my fault. Anywho this will (hopefully) resolve any unanswered questions you all have. If it doesn't, just assume the answer is "cause plot".  
> Also I apologize for not ending this chapter with Korra swearing, as is tradition. I couldn't just pass up the opportunity for existential crisis Asami.


	6. Grey Mists of Confusion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asami is still avoiding Korra, who is trying desperately to explain herself. If she could just talk to the girl she could fix this whole damn mess. But then again, she still has to apologize to Mako. Why is this so much more difficult than it should be?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter brought to you by liquor, specifically Big Bottom 91 Proof Bourbon aged in port casks. So blame the bourbon (the drink not the person behind the name) for any and all spelling/grammar errors.

The next week was almost unbearable. Asami wasn’t responding to phone calls or texts. Opal was glaring at Korra every time they hung out.

The one time she saw Mako since she kissed him she had to awkwardly apologize. Which was almost unbearable in and of itself.

“Mako, I’m sorry about… last time,” she said.

“Korra, I don’t understand what even happened.”

“It’s complicated,” Korra whined. She hastily ordered a shot from the bartender before she continued. “Look when I first saw you I saw the colors. And I got super excited because you’re pretty cool and pretty pretty.” He dropped his amber gaze in embarrassment, and rubbed the back of his neck. “I was all overwhelmed and thought you were the one, but I didn’t even stop to think that maybe I had also seen someone else at the same time and I never thought about what it would do to you. Sorry.”

“Uh… wow,” Mako breathed. “That was a lot.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry. I’m kind of a huge mess.”

“Well I just wanted to say that I like you Korra, I think we make good friends.” And she silently begged all of the spirits she could name that he would stop there. Korra couldn’t handle it if he had real, genuine, bright colored feelings for her. Not after all of this. Not after falling for him, falling out of love with him, and then falling so hard for Asami. She wouldn’t be able to survive all this back-and-forth. “But I think we’d be just great friends. I honestly think if we dated the only way it would end would be if one of us killed the other. I mean I like you, but our arguments can get… intense.”

Korra heaved a sigh of relief. “Oh thank Raava.” She hugged him. “Thank you. And I’m sorry. And I think we should drop this whole subject and go back to drinking and trying to forget our problems.”

"Only if you're buying the first round."

Despite the good liquor and good company Asami was still stuck on Korra's mind. And this stress and internal conflict still remained and had Korra hopelessly distracted at work.

“Korra, can you come into my office for a minute?” Tenzin called her at the end of the day on Friday.

"Yeah?" Korra asked as she popped her head into the office.

“Is everything ok?” he asked gently.

“I guess,” she shrugged.

He knew that tone of voice, that expression. “What happened?”

“Ok, so remember how I told you about how I saw color cause of a boy?”

Tenzin nodded and patiently waited for Korra to continue.

“Well it turns out I was wrong. I mean I think I was wrong anyways. It wasn’t the boy. I don’t think it was the boy. It was someone who was with him that I didn’t even think was an option. It was his girlfriend.”

“I see,” Tenzin said. “But you pursued the boy anyways.”

“Kind of. I made a move and then broke them up,” Korra said as she hide her face in her hands. “Then I start hanging out with the girl and we click and I like her and she’s fun. And then she kisses me and I’m like head over heels in love with her. But she thinks I’m in love with someone else, and she doesn’t see the color with me. And then I tried to explain it to her and I couldn’t figure out the words and then she ran away and I can’t find her again to try and explain and everything’s the worst. Oh and I pissed off Opal.”

“I see,” Tenzin repeated again. “I think you know what you have to do.”

“Apologize,” Korra answered. “But if you tell me that I have to give some prepared impassioned speech, I’m going to scream.”

“No, no speeches or enumerated ways that you love her. Just an explanation. You have to talk to her or else nothing will get fixed.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Korra said.

“Good luck,” Tenzin told her. “Love is the hardest battlefield of all.”

“You’re telling me,” Korra waved as she left the office.

The day ended and she pulled out her phone hitting the number 2 speed dial button. Asami :D’s phone went straight to voicemail.

“Asami, it’s Korra… again. Look I know things got weird the other day. And I just want to try and explain myself to you, if you will just give me a chance. Damn it. This is killing me. Look… No... I’m not doing this over a voicemail. Fuck it, if you don’t call me back I’m coming over to your place and I’ll sit outside your door until you talk to me.” Korra hung up the phone and started her march to Asami’s apartment complex downtown.

Her phone rang once to signal she received a text message. From Asami :D, “I’ll be there in twenty minutes. You’ll have 2 minutes to explain yourself.”

Korra sighed and responded. “See you then.”

That was worse than she was hoping. “Shit.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shit, if my actual novel got as many hits as this I wouldn't need to have a day job. *awkward cough to break the silence of a bad joke* Thanks for all the love, it is greatly appreciated. There are only two chapters left after this (which shall come tomorrow, hopefully, depending on how editing goes), so... enjoy?


	7. Impassioned RomCom Speeches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Korra finally gets to explain herself to Asami. And it goes about as well (or as bad) as she figured it would.

She waited outside the building for Asami to get back from work.

“Korra,” she said flatly as she let her into the building.

The elevator ride was silent and awkward and the tension was pressing on Korra like it was trying to smother her.

Once inside Asami’s super nice apartment, the heiress said, “You’ve got two minutes.”

“Look Asami,” Korra started. “I’ve never been good with this whole patience thing. I tend to act without thinking. You could say I don’t have impulse control, which is entirely possible, but it is a bit deeper than that.”

“Korra…”

“Please, just let me finish, I promise this will all tie together,” Korra continued. “When I was young, five to be exact, I got sick. Real sick. Like I almost died. I had cancer.”

Asami’s eyes started to water. This wasn’t how this was supposed to go. Not how this was supposed to go at all. Goddamn it. Now all she could think of was Korra dead and dying and it broke her heart into a million pieces of shattered glass. She couldn’t handle that thought, she could barely stand to be in the room at that moment.

“I wasn’t supposed to survive. My parents managed to convince Tenzin, who was working with the Wish Makers Foundation to grant me one of my biggest wishes: I wanted to be a hero, to help people. I got all dressed up in a costume and fought some super villains who took over my home town. It was the greatest day of my life. But the waiting almost killed me. I couldn’t stand waiting for good things. I had been so used to waiting for test results, scans, procedures. Then I got something pure and decent dangled in front of me and I couldn’t wait. From them on I decided that if something good came along I would jump at it because who knows if I’d survive to see it. It was a choice that I made and it probably wasn’t the right one, which is the story of my life. Anyways, this thing happens and I suddenly see someone who brings this dreary black and white world into glorious color. And I didn’t even ever bother to consider anyone else because I saw what I thought I wanted and I jumped at it. Then I made things worse and I had to learn that there were other possibilities. I kissed Mako, and I’m so sorry about that. But it was only because I couldn’t quite handle the possibility that it wasn’t Mako who was my soul mate. Because when I saw him for the first time that color came into my world-”

“Korra, I get it, you’re in love with Mako. You accidentally broke us up. I get it. You can leave now.”

“No that’s not what I’m saying at all!”

“Then what are you saying?”

“The first time I saw Mako... was also the... first time... that I saw _you_.”

“What?”

“I’m sorry. But sometimes I’m just a huge idiot and I never considered the possibility that it was you who I fell in love with at first sight. I confused jealousy with love. I couldn’t tell if I want to be with you, be you, or be on you and it made everything all jumbled up and then I screwed everything up and now I’m rambling because I don’t know how to do words,” Korra rambled before taking a deep breath. “Fuck it. Asami I love you, you’re wonderful and beautiful and perfect, and you make my world all colorful and I know you probably hate me, I kind of hate me, but I really really want us to still be friends.”

Asami just stared at Korra, wide eyed and open mouthed.

“Well?” Korra asked, realizing that what she did was less reasoned explanation and more heartfelt impassioned speech of undying love. She’s gonna punch herself in the face for that later.

“You’re two minutes are up.”

“I see,” Korra said, feeling incredibly rejected.

She walked to the door, and let herself out.

Korra didn’t remember the hallway to the elevator being so long, or so quite. The walk to the elevator reminded her of a funeral procession. It was oppressively quiet, the only sounds were barely constrained sobs.

She smashed her hand into the elevator call button at the end of the hall and had to wait in awkward sad silence. Korra was doing her best to keep her tears under control until she got home, until she got somewhere private. Her best was not very good.

“Korra,” called a voice from down the hall.

“What?” she called back, sounding bitter and hurt.

“Can you come back inside for a second?” Asami asked.

“Why?”

“I think I have something to say.”

Korra sighed, tried to brush the tears from her eyes before she turned around. She took a deep breath, and utterly failed to look like she wasn’t crying a minute ago.

She walked back into Asami’s apartment without looking at her.

“Korra, I’m sorry,” Asami said. “It’s just… I’m really bad at this whole relationship business. Feelings and trust and all that jazz and me don’t really get along all that well. I’m sure Bolin told you about my parents.”

Korra shook her head.

“Well I lost my mom when I was real young, and my dad… isn’t what you’d call a good father. He tries… sometimes, and when he does try he’s abysmal at it. Anyway what I’m saying is that I think you deserve someone better than me. I’m not really relationship material. I think you’re great and wonderful and beautiful and perfect and you deserve someone who can give you the trust and the love you deserve, stuff that I’m not sure I can give you. I mean just look it how badly I reacted last week. I didn’t trust you enough to give you room to explain yourself until you basically knocked down my door.”

When Asami finally looked up at Korra, she’d been looking at her hands the whole time, she saw the woman smiling.

“What?” Asami asked defensively.

“Never once was there a good reason for you to not date me,” Korra said.

“Didn’t you just listen to what I said?”

“Every word.”

Asami frowned at Korra.

“You said that you ‘think’ you are incapable of all this relationship stuff. And? I’m not exactly Miss Suave Date Lady.”

A very brief, smile flashed across Asami’s face before she returned to her sad, slight frown. “But you know what I meant.”

“Nope, I think I’ve proved I know almost nothing,” Korra responded, still smiling. “You might not think you are, but I’m fairly confident that you are capable of all of that stuff and more. Besides you’re fucking astounding, amazing. The Amazing Asami. You can probably do a show and take it on the road with how amazing you are.”

“No I’m not!” Asami said defiantly, sounding almost like a petulant child. “I’m sorry Korra, but I just don’t see any colors with you!”

“How about a bet then?” Korra said with her trademark Korra Smirk™.

“What kind of bet?” Asami was almost too nervous to ask, this was going… better than expected?

“A fun kind.”

“What would it entail?”

“I saw we go on six or seven dates, real dates. And if you still think yourself emotionally crippled or you don’t see any colors between now and then we can have a nice, painless amicable break up,” Korra propositioned.

“You’re not going to give up are you?”

“On you? Never ever.”

“Three dates.”

“Six dates.”

“Five.”

“Done,” Korra said. “I think we should have our first date tomorrow. ‘Cause no offense today has been an emotional rollercoaster and I’m all weepy and snotty and gross.”

“Fine,” Asami said, sounding angry that the deal happened for some reason that didn’t rationally make sense to her. Isn’t this what she wanted? Now she was all confused.

“I’ll see you tomorrow for dinner,” Korra said with a smile. Outside the apartment Korra did a little happy dance while waiting for the elevator. "Fuck yeah!"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it folks, the penultimate chapter. I hope your hearts have been appropriately toyed with >:D  
> I'll do a couple rounds of editing on the last chapter and probably have it done around dinner time tonight. Woo.


	8. This is What Red Feels Like

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Five dates. That was the deal. Five dates for Korra and Asami. Five dates to see if Asami can see a future with Korra, and for Korra to see if she can convince Asami she really is the only one for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok readers, let's earn this M rating... together.

**Date One** : just dinner and drinks, Korra wanted to keep it simple. Asami was nervous, as was Korra. It was awkward, trying to start over despite everything that had transpired before hand. The date ended with Korra dropping Asami off at her apartment.

“Can I kiss you goodnight?” Korra asked, in a barely audible whisper.

Asami nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

The kiss felt to Asami exactly how Korra had described the color red. It was heat and passion with that combination of divine and hellish anticipation before the moment their lips touched.

It was wonderful, and short, and it was sweet.

Korra broke the kiss early, fearing that continuing it would be pushing Asami too far. She’d already risked pushing her away with this semi-forced date agreement. So she took one pale hand in hers and kissed it.

“Good night princess,” Korra said, but quickly dropped the hand when she saw Asami’s frown. “What?”

“Please,” Asami said seriously. “I’m no princess. I’m a motherfucking queen.”

Korra smiled, and she bowed low to the queen. “Of course my liege, my humblest apologies. Please don’t send me to the stockades.”

“Just make sure it never happens again.”

“It will never happen again,” Korra repeated. “Good night Queen Asami. Sleep tight.”

“Good night Korra, you too.”

But Korra knew that sleeping tight was not in the cards. She was going to need an ice cold shower before a restless night thinking of those lips, those legs, every part of Asami.

The first thing Asami did inside her apartment was a happy little dance, immediately followed by a cold, cold shower.

**Date Two:** Korra took Asami to the movies. They got into a special screening of Asami’s favorite bad movie: _Varricks’ The Genius_. They held hands in the darkness.

Korra watched the lights in Asami’s perfect eyes of jade, and felt her heart leap every time Asami anticipated a funny moment or snorted when she forgot one was coming. In fact, Korra barely even watched the movie, she was too enraptured with how Asami saw the film to pay attention.

She was in a good mood when the movie ended, but it was nothing compared to Asami who was actively skipping through the dark city streets.

Asami kissed Korra in the bright hue of the orange streetlights that made her glow, and kissed her in the dark where the feelings and the smells were heightened without the benefit of sight, which gave Asami the courage to grab Korra’s ass for the first time.

Uncaring what anyone thought of them, the couple made out in front of Asami’s apartment complex for several minutes. She’d strategically placed a gentle hand on the back of Korra’s neck to keep her from pulling away, which Korra never would have done willingly.

But eventually the queen said she needed some beauty sleep, so they parted ways.

**Date Three** : Korra made Asami a picnic that they ate in the park, watching what stars could shine through the lights of the city.

They ate, they talked, Asami cuddled up to Korra’s strapping arms.

Eventually, Asami just fell asleep, and Korra gingerly picked her up and carried her the nearly two miles to her apartment.

She didn’t wake until they arrived at the block she lived on.

“Oh, Korra, I’m sorry,” Asami yawned sleepily, nuzzling into Korra’s neck, and her heart melted.

“It’s fine. You’re exhausted,” Korra responded carrying her up to the door of the apartment complex. “My queen, you’ve arrived at your destination.”

“Thank you, valet,” Asami smiled.

Korra bowed and kissed her hand. “Get some sleep.”

Asami smiled and entered her apartment.

**Date Four** : was impromptu. Asami showed up at Korra’s work with a packed lunch. She wanted to make up for falling asleep on the date the night before, and Korra blushed intensely, enough for even color-blind Asami to notice.

They spent a wonderful hour outside eating sandwiches and sitting close to each other and whispering.

“Hey Korra,” Asami said just before their date ended. They both knew that the next date was the last one of the pre-agreed five dates, but neither of them wanted to bring it up. “Uh, this weekend, why don’t you come over to my place? I can cook dinner and we can… hang out... and... _stuff_.”

Korra noticed the “and stuff” but didn’t say anything. “Sounds wonderful.”

“It’s a date then.”

Korra kissed her. “Yeah it is, I should get back to work.”

**The Final Date** : Asami had a plan. And so did Korra.

Both of their plans were wonderful, and horrible, and had the potential to go spectacularly or disastrously.

Korra knew this was the last date if Asami didn’t feel the same way. So Korra figured she could lay all of her cards (as it were) on the table and go for broke.

Asami answered the door and ushered Korra into her large and lavishly furnished apartment.

“Make yourself at home,” Asami said. “I’ve got to get something from the back.”

“Ok,” Korra said. She was nervous. If her plan worked it would be fantastic, but she had a fear that this was going to end very very badly. And for a second she almost didn’t do it.

“I was thinking that tonight we could do something fun,” Asami called from the back of the apartment.

“Yeah?” Korra called as she hastily pulled off her shoes, undid her belt, and pulled her shirt over her head. Would just appearing naked in Asami’s apartment really work? “What were you thinking?”

She threw off her pants and underwear all at once and realized that without clothing on Asami’s apartment was freezing. Or maybe that was just Korra’s nerves and excitement. And she was certainly excited.

Naked Korra heard Asami moving in the back, it sounded like she was getting closer. She nervously bounced on the balls of her feet, unable to think of a way to position herself.

“Well I was think that we could spend the entire night,” Asami said as she turned the corner and spotted Korra completely naked, just as naked as her, “...without any clothes on.”

Korra took a second to be completely in shock. Naked Asami was fucking flawless. Her breasts were amazing, perky, everything Korra ever wanted her larger ones to be. Her skin was smooth and perfect.

That was when Korra started laughing. That full body, loud laughing that brought tears to her eyes.

Asami was struck speechless by naked Korra. Her tits were so much more impressive than her own ( _I mean just look at how the giggle slightly with Korra’s laughter_ ), and those abs ( _Korra has fucking **ABS**?_ ) looked like Asami could use them as a cutting board. Then Korra started laughing and Asami covered up in shame, blushing furiously.

“It looks like we had the exact same idea,” Korra said in between deep breaths trying to get air into her lungs.

Asami hid her face in her hands and sank to the ground, too embarrassed to speak. Irrationally she thought that the laughter was aimed at her.

“Oh my god, I’m sorry,” Asami muttered.

That was when Korra crawled over to her, it was her impression of a sexy crawl across the hardwood floor (and it would have worked if Asami was looking at her). “Don’t be sorry. It’s just funny that we both had the same idea to try and surprise the other one by being completely naked.”

Asami chuckled once. “Yeah, we are pretty ridiculous.”

“You’re fucking gorgeous,” Korra whispered.

Asami kissed her. “You are mind bendingly hot.”

Korra kissed her back, passionately, hard. Then she bit Asami’s lower lip playfully and whispered. “Now, my queen,” she said in a deep voice that made Asami quiver, “with your permission I’d like to go to town on you.”

Asami just nodded, and from that point on there were no intelligible words, just kisses and moans and silent prayers of thanks.

Korra kissed Asami all over. Neck, shoulders, hands, cleavage, breasts (for more than a little while), stomach, and inner thighs.

“We should... go to the... bedroom,” Asami breathed as her hands rested on Korra’s insanely ripped shoulders.

Korra looked up at Asami from her position between her thighs and smiled that little lopsided grin that made Asami want to melt, and her breath on her legs that did make her melt. She raised her eyebrows and said, “But I’m so impatient. I’d rather just do you right here.”

Asami tried real hard to say, “If you insist.” but the only sounds that escaped her mouth were moans of pleasure as Korra found spots that made her shiver in pleasure.

Despite Korra’s claims about not being able to “do words”, she had plenty of skill with her tongue Asami realized as she laced her hands through Korra’s hair and held on for dear life.

“Oh fuck me,” Asami moaned. She was close.

But then Korra just had to look up and give her a smirk. “I thought I was.”

“No talking with your mouth full.”

Korra laughed and went back to business.

She knew her task was finished when Asami shuddered and screamed her name.

“ _Korra_! Fuck! That was…” Asami yelled, trying to get her breath back.

Korra smiled, proud of herself for a job well done. She kissed her way up Asami’s glistening body. Each kiss was like a mark on Asami’s skin, she could feel heat and wetness in each one. She imagined each one was a little red (which looked like how Korra’s tongue felt on her) mark on her soul.

“Thank you,” Asami said as she pulled Korra down on top of her, so that their skin was touching as much as possible. She kissed the woman she’d give anything in the whole world to be soul mates with.

“What do you say we continue this adventure in your bedroom?” Korra asked. “As hot as it is to fuck you on the floor, my knees hurt.”

Asami nodded, and stole another kiss from her.

They stood up off the floor, and Korra took Asami’s hand to lead her to the bedroom. But suddenly she felt the pale woman stop.

Korra turned around to see hungry green eyes staring at her with lust and passion. And Asami was biting her lower lip.

“What?” Korra asked.

Asami smiled, like a hungry wolf.

“What?”

The pale woman just grabbed Korra’s face and kissed her with all of her feeling. They kissed hard in the hallway just beyond the bedroom. Asami used her height to push Korra against the wall.

“The bedroom,” Korra moaned as Asami started to kiss down her neck.

“Too far away,” Asami whispered into Korra’s cleavage before continuing her descent. “I want a taste. _Now_.”

Korra looked down at the green eyes looking up at her. A pink little tongue flicked out and licked up from her abs to her tits to her neck before giving her a little, short, teasing kiss.

“Oh fuck me,” Korra whispered.

“That’s the plan,” Asami smiled as she moved one of Korra’s legs.

It was after a couple minutes of steady work that Asami discovered that Korra was the quiet one. No matter what she did, and she did everything she could think of, Asami couldn’t get Korra to scream. Tongue, fingers, both, neither. They only ever elicited moans and whimpers and quiet pleads to never ever stop.

Although Asami did finally get her wish, when Korra shuddered and almost fell to the ground as her legs gave way, and Asami quickly placed her hands on Korra’s perfect ass to hold her up. Even though Korra was coming down, Asami tried to go for a second round immediately.

“Asami, fuck!” Korra cried, not really up to Asami’s level from earlier. “Stop!” A few deep breaths and a sad puppy dog look from Asami between her legs before Korra continued, breathless, “You… me… bed… now.”

It was well over an hour since the “date” began before the couple actually made it into the bedroom.

And it was another four hours later when it could be considered the end of the final date of the pre-agreed five dates. And Korra was dozing, still naked, in Asami’s large queen bed.

Asami had her head on Korra’s impressively cut stomach, idly playing with her belly button.

“Well that was fun,” Korra said. “But…”

_That but… that butt…_ Asami thought, remembering how impossibly perfect Korra’s ass had looked. Probably still looked.

“But,” Korra continued. “This was date number five.”

She was nervous, more nervous about anything that could have ever happened to her. She couldn’t convince herself that she was being silly, because of what happened earlier, because of what happened several times earlier, they were a couple, right? Isn’t that how it worked?

“Yeah, I know,” Asami muttered.

“I still love you, you know,” Korra whispered. “Like hopelessly, madly in love with you. And your cute little ass dimples. I’m fairly certain you are the perfect archetype of Woman kind. You’re a better person than I could ever be and I’m in love with every perfect aspect of you.”

“Thank you,” Asami whispered as she turned to look at Korra’s perfect blue eyes. And several things happened all at once. “I... love you too.”

Korra watched Asami’s face fall. It looked like she had realized she had left the oven on, or she was just struck in the back of the head with a sledgehammer.

“What? What is it?” Korra asked, suddenly impossibly nervous. Asami kind of looking like someone died.

“You… your…” Asami stuttered, reaching out with one hand to touch Korra’s cheek. “Your eyes… they look exactly how I’d always imaging the sky to look on a perfect cloudless summer day. The perfect blue. Fucking gorgeous.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it. The end of this story. I remember when it was originally only six thousand words. It wasn't supposed to be this long (it was originally supposed to be a one-shot, whoops). I hope everyone enjoyed it. Also, I apologize for my complete inability to write decent smut. It always comes off awkward and stilted (just like me in real life!), so I try to avoid it where possible and let the reader fill in the gaps with their own kinky thoughts (and in some ways isn't that better?)  
> So yeah... The End.  
> Unless you really REALLY want me to write an epilogue tonight while I'm moderately intoxicated (it's my weekend don't judge me) where I make fun of Mako.  
> Thanks for reading you wonderful people.


	9. And Now for An Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Korra and Asami really need to get out of the apartment. It has been a few weeks and neither of them have seen friends or relations since they started seeing each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Epilogue! Epilogue!" The people chant. Well here you go you monsters (I'm just kidding I love you all). But this is what you get. Artistic integrity! Who needs it?  
> Also I apologize. I only edited this thing once. It was all I had time for. (I wrote this like an hour ago)

“Come on,” Asami said as she threw Korra’s long since discarded shirt at the naked woman in her bed. “We’re going to be late.”

“And? I’d still rather spend a night in. I don’t think we’ve had sex in the shower yet,” Korra smiled.

“You know my feelings on shower sex,” Asami said as Korra watched her glorious, heavenly ass get covered up by Asami’s favorite pair of dark skinny jeans. “And besides, if we did stay here we’d be bailing on Opal and Bolin again, for the third time.”

Korra made a fart noise. “After all the times they left me alone at the bar so they can go do it, they deserve being stood up a few more times.”

Asami stood over Korra, who was still in bed, putting her hands on her hips, which all in all gave Korra a very nice view of her exposed chest.

“Don’t you want to go outside and see all the colors and hold each other’s hands and be all adorable and have fun PDA and make fun of all the people in mismatched colors?” Asami asked.

“Yes, my queen,” Korra said, finally getting out of the bed.

She walked over to Asami’s dresser and opened the bottom drawer, making sure to swing her hips extra to make sure Asami was watching her ass (which she was) as she grabbed some clean clothes. All of the ones she wore earlier were marred by the flour from the cookie baking incident that lead to the sex that they were just recovering from.

It had only been two weeks since Korra and Asami became official soul mates, and already Korra had basically moved in. Its not like Asami minded, she was more than happy to come home from a long day at work to find Korra already waiting for her with dinner and cuddles.

At this point the only reason Korra kept her smaller apartment was because she was much too lazy to move all of her stuff. And they couldn’t ask Bolin and Opal and Mako to help them move since they’ve been avoiding them to stay in.

Korra got freshened up and Asami put on her make-up flawlessly as always. (Korra learned that Asami had descriptive labels put on her makeup, like ‘Date Night Red’ or ‘Business Confident Pink’)

“You ready to go?” Asami asked as she extended her hand.

Korra nodded and grasped the pale hand like if she didn’t she might die without the contact.

“The Prodigal Couple returns!” yelled Bolin upon catching sight of the two in the bar doorway. He lept up and hugged both of them in one of his registers bonecrushing Bolin hugs. “I’ve missed you!”

“Sorry Bolin,” Korra said. “We’ve both just… been real busy.”

“I bet,” he said, waggling his eyebrows and giving Korra a wink wink nudge nudge. “I know what you mean.”

“Korra!” Opal said. “Nice to see you again. I guess this must mean that you two are finally done with your honeymoon phase.”

“Certainly took you long enough,” Bolin said.

“Out of?” Korra asked, sounding offended.

“The honeymoon phase,” Opal said, but Asami was already rolling her eyes. She knew where Korra was taking this. “You know the sexy time where its just sex and food. Bolin and mine lasted a week and half.”

“Again, who said we were out of that?” Korra asked. “I have every intention of trying to get some in the bathroom later, thank you very much.”

Asami smacked Korra’s arm. “What kind of girl do you think I am?”

Korra looked dejected. “Can we at least make out in the bathroom?”

She sighed like it was some great concession she was making. “Fine.” Even though she totally would have done Korra in the bathroom stall of the seedy little bar they were all regulars at if she had asked.

“Can I at least touch your butt?”

Another faked sigh. “Fine.”

“Aww, they’re so cute,” Bolin said with a big smile. “So how are you finding color sight?”

“I love it!” Asami said. “I just love how… green Korra’s eyes are.”

Instantly Bolin’s face fell. “Uh… Korra’s eyes are blue. Oh… Oh no.”

Asami smiled. “I’m just kidding Bolin. I know her eyes are blue. The most gorgeous blue.”

“You two are going to give me a heart attack! I need another drink. Anyone else?”

“How is it going?” Opal asked.

“Oh its great!” Asami said. “Although I had to burn a couple of my outfits once I actually _saw_ them. And I had to order some things in my office repainted because they were hideous. Thankfully I’m not in charge of painting the projects at work.”

“And we go to the park and just look at all of the stuff,” Korra said. “And then we usually just laugh at some people’s unfortunate clothing mistakes.”

“Then Korra feels bad and always goes tell the people what they’re wearing. It’s so adorable,” Asami smiled before kissing Korra.

“Blech,” Bolin said returning with drinks for the table. “I thought I missed all of this!”

“Oh calm yourself,” Korra responded. “I had to deal with all of your crap when you two first started up, all by my lonesome. I’m due some payback.”

“You are right,” Bolin commented before flexing and making a face at Opal. “I’m just too hot for this lovely lady to keep her hands off of.”

Opal laughed and kissed him softly. "You are very pretty."

"Not as pretty as you are my sweet," Bolin said as they rubbed their noses together.

“So what’s the deal with you two?” she asked. “The last I heard was Korra was having more than some trouble deciding if it was you, Asami, or Mako she was mean for. What happened between then and now?”

Asami smiled shyly. “Well I shut Korra down initially because I didn’t think I was worthy of her, the whole not seeing colors thing. But… Well… Then Korra… convinced me I was wrong and in that moment I knew that I loved her.”

“Ooh, convinced how?” Bolin demanded, sensing a story. He was hoping for a retelling of Korra's impassioned speech.

Asami blushed as Korra finished the story.

“Well I convinced her to let me take her out a couple of times. And on the last date, while she was in the back of her apartment, I did the Naked Man,” Korra smiled devilishly. “That kind of sold her.”

By that point Asami was hiding her face in her hands.

Before Korra could reveal anything else about their sex life, they were joined by Mako who pushed Bolin further into the booth and sat down heavily.

He had with him a tray of five shots.

“Hey Mako,” Korra said. “Thanks for the drinks.”

She reached out to grab one but he slapped her hand away.

“No,” he said. “Mine.”

He took one of the shots and downed it. “Hey everybody,” he said after finishing the alcohol. “Bolin. Hey Opal. How is everything?”

“Good.”

“Korra, Asami. How’s things? I heard you two are together.”

“Everything’s fine,” Korra said.

“Oh good,” Mako muttered as he took the next shot.

“How are you doing Mako?” Asami asked with concern.

“Fine, fine,” he said. “I’m mad at Bolin though.”

“Why?” Bolin asked looking hurt.

“How the fuck could you let me wear that stupid neon orange shirt with that hideous pair of maroon pants?” Mako snapped before taking the third shot.

Bolin immediately started laughing. “Because it looked so good on you bro!”

“Wrong! I looked like an idiot!”

“Wait…” Korra said. “Mako you can _see_?!”

“Yeah,” he said into the fourth shot. “Yeah I can.”

“Yeah bro!” Bolin cried as he got in an awkward hug in the booth. “I’m so happy for you! Where’s the lucky lady? Or the lucky gentleman?”

“She’s a woman, a good looking one too. And she’s currently in the lock-up,” Mako muttered.

“What?” Korra asked, smiling at the ridiculousness of it. “Did you seriously arrest your soul mate?”

“Yeah.”

“For what?” she demanded to know.

“First of all, I didn’t lock her up. I just helped with the investigation. Two, if the whole me being one of the cops that brought her down doesn’t kill my chances, that ridiculous outfit I was wearing will totally kill the deal.” With that Mako punched Bolin a few times in the bicep.

“Ok, but now I really want to know,” Korra said, “who was it?”

“Have you heard of the Lion Turtle gang?” Mako asked.

The table nodded and he continued. “As far as the gangs go, they are kind of the best. And this isn’t rose-colored lovey dovey glasses talking, I mean they actually are a pretty good gang. They strictly limit themselves to gambling and some of the softer drugs and a some harmless smuggling. But they’ve kept out the Triads from one of the most historically violent neighborhoods. Its actually gotten better in recent years. Anyway they’re gangsters, we’re cops, you know how it goes. I get the call to help with paperwork when they bust the leader of the Lion Turtles. I walk in wearing that horrible piece of clothing and I see her in lock-up and it hits me: my brother lets me dress up like a tool.”

Korra swore she heard him muttering, “This is why I haven’t made detective yet.” into his final shot.

“Did she see you?” Asami asked, legitimately concerned for Mako.

He nodded. “She saw me and I saw her and then she started laughing her ass off in the cell.”

“What did you do?” Opal asked.

“I went to the locker room, changed, and burned the evidence.”

Korra just giggled. “Aww, supercop is in love with a criminal mastermind.”

“I know!” Mako whined and laid his head on the table. “And in a few minutes I’m going to be drunk as shit.”

“And I thought I had it bad,” Korra said, “when I saw the two of you.”

“There’s no other way about it, I’m fucked,” Mako said.

“You’ll just have to marry her real quick. If you’re married you can’t investigate her. She’ll be like, immune from the police,” Bolin said as he tried to reassure Mako.

“That isn’t how that works even a little,” Mako complained.

“Hey Mako?” Opal asked. “Is your girl tall, with a kind of short punk dyed blonde hair cut? Kinda mean looking, but in a hot way? Like she’d walk all over you and you’d just say thank you?”

“Yeah, why?”

“She’s here,” Opal pointed.

Everyone in the booth immediately turned around to stare at the woman who just walked into the bar.

Even Korra had to admit the woman was attractive, but before she could get a really good look at her, Asami grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the booth.

“I have to go to the bathroom,” Asami said with a wink at Korra, who instantly forgot about teasing Mako and got out of the booth.

“Good luck,” Korra said to Mako without taking her eyes off her girlfriend.

“Bolin,” Opal said as she pushed Bolin out of the booth, “buy me a drink.”

Mako stood up to greet the gang leader, and that was when he felt the five shots behind his eyes. He leaned into the table to support his weight.

“Oh fuck.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, for reals this time: this is the end. I've got nothing after this. This story has nothing more to sustain it. Who's Mako's soul mate? No idea! If you have an idea and want to write it, feel free. As for me? I'm tapped out. I'm going to go find some more bourbon to put in my now empty cup.
> 
> Edit: yell at me on tumblr at abronzeagegod.tumblr.com


End file.
